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New Ways in Psychoanalysis

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Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

316 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

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About the author

Karen Horney

61 books500 followers
Karen Horney was a German psychoanalyst. Her theories questioned some traditional Freudian views, particularly his theory of sexuality, as well as the instinct orientation of psychoanalysis and its genetic psychology. As such, she is often classified as Neo-Freudian.

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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Greg.
649 reviews107 followers
February 4, 2011
This is a standard critique of Freud and the basis of modern psychoanalysis after Freud - i.e., Neofreudianism.
Profile Image for Heon Joo Suh.
7 reviews
March 6, 2023
Very good book

It is very helpful in learning and expanding basic concepts of psychoanalysis. Also it deepens my understanding of the roles of psychoanalyst
144 reviews2 followers
February 25, 2023
Karen Horney begins “New Ways in Psychoanalysis” with a surprising assertion:

“My desire to make a critical re-evaluation of psychoanalytical theories of Sigmund Freud had its origin in dissatisfaction with therapeutic results. I found that almost every patient offered problems for which our accepted psychoanalytical knowledge offered no means of solution, and which therefore remained unsolved.”

The only success story may have been Sigmund Freud’s discovery that repressed memories can cause phobias, and that if the repressed memories are restored by hypnosis, the phobias will disappear.

Dr. Horney also agreed with Freud that dreams contain wish fulfillment, but I disagree. If this was true people would not have nightmares. I do not have nightmares, but my dreams are sometimes depressing. Fortunately, the feeling of depression dissipates after I wake up.

In “New Ways in Psychoanalysis” Karen Horney describes and refutes most of Freud’s theories.

Most of these theories were based on nothing but conjecture. The two silliest were the Oedipus Complex and Penis Envy. Horney writes, “By the Oedipus complex Freud means sexual attraction to one of the parents with a concomitant jealousy toward the other parent.”

By Penis Envy Freud claimed that as soon as girls learn that boys have a penis, they want one too, and often retain something equivalent to this desire throughout life.

Freud explained the fact that virtually no one acknowledges ever having one or both of these desires by claiming that the desires have been suppressed or denied. This is known in logic as the Circular Reasoning Fallacy. In circular reasoning one asserts what one needs to prove.

Freud claimed that neuroses develop when one’s instinctual (and often sexual) desires conflict with the constraints civilization imposes to survive. If this was true nearly everyone would be a neurotic or a criminal.

Dr. Horney presents what I consider the far more plausible explanation that neurosis consists of dysfunctional defense mechanisms against an environment that is perceived of as dangerous. She develops this explanation more fully in her book, “Our Inner Conflicts.”

She does not explain how neuroses develop. Ellen Walser deLaura blames childhood and adolescent bullying in her book “Bullying Scars: The Impact on Adult Life and Relationships.”





Profile Image for Sadako Yamamura.
129 reviews7 followers
March 28, 2025
Karen Horney thoroughly disproved everything Freud has ever said, and yet people still cling to his stupid ideas because he turned psychoanalysis into a religion and no one can handle the truth about themselves. People turn to Freud's and Jung's ideas as excuses for their toxic behaviors, trying to rationalize them as instinct, as if everyone must be as they are. Karen Horney shows instead how neurosis is something you learn in order to cope with our broken culture and the torments of Western civilization. Instead of being codified into our biology as instincts or personality types, neuroses are trends of unquestioned thought patterns people develop over time that can coexist with other neuroses and gain or lose influence depending on how much you believe in certain core ideas about yourself. Everyone should read her work to learn about yourself and everyone you know.
Profile Image for V.
115 reviews3 followers
April 28, 2023
At the time, this book was in all likelihood groundbreaking.

Today, it still holds up, there's some outdated / maybe imprecise statements here and there, but it holds up surprisingly well, and it's especially useful for understanding preceding theories and outlooks towards practical therapy, and the clash of theory vs. practice.

All in all I feel I have gained something from having read it.
Profile Image for Gabriele Pavone.
4 reviews1 follower
May 11, 2023
While I do have immense respect for Karen Horney for challenging Freudian theory, I feel like that she could have done much more in this book, considering how long it is. I appreciate her stance on psychoanalysists, who should have a more active role in therapy compared to Freud's way of thinking, but I think she could have given us more to do.

I also feel like the book wasn't the easiest to read, as I had to re-read many parts as some sentences are way to convoluted.
Profile Image for Santi.
3 reviews
April 29, 2022
This entire book is a very constructive critique on aspects of Freudian psychoanalysis. Horney's commentary is extremely punctual, highly stimulating, and refreshing. This is an excellent book to get into Horney if you've read Freud. It is also very useful in connecting Horney's thought to its context and asserting its validity. Highly recommended.
10 reviews
June 9, 2025
Karen Horney'in daha önce Kendi Kendine Psikanaliz kitabını okuyan biri olarak bu kitabını da çok faydalı buldum. Psikanalizi terimlere bogmadan uygulamalı pratik ve özünü içeren çok güzel bir kitap. Psikoloji ve psikanalizle ilgilenen herkese bu kitabı ve Karen Horney'in diğer kitaplarını tavsiye ederim.
Profile Image for Nona Drobot.
81 reviews6 followers
October 24, 2018
This book is a great addition to Freud's psychoanalysis. Karen Horney is indeed a great specialist and she explains everything in a very easy form.
Profile Image for Blumfeld.
9 reviews
July 17, 2016
Karen Horney'in ikinci kitabı olan Psikanalizde Yeni Yollar, Horney'in Psikanalitik Terapi Sürecinden ve Klasik Psikanalizin temel kavramlarından kopuşunun ifadesidir. Çağımızın Nevrotik Kişiliğin'de, Horneyan Kuramı oluşturmaya başlayan Horney, bu kitap ile birlikte Klasik Psikanalitik Kuramdan tamamen kopmuştur. Bu kitap, Horney'in literatürdeki Freud karşıtlığı ününün temel kaynağı olması gerekirken, kitap içeriğindeki çoğu itirazlar görmezden gelinmiş, uzun yıllar boyunca Kadın Psikolojisi ve Kültür vurguları ön plana çıkmıştır. Horney'in Kadın Psikolojisi ile bu kadar yakından ilişkili bir kuramcı olarak etiketlemenin bir çok olumsuz etkisinin yanısıra, Horney'i, "gururu yaralanan bir feminist", gibi bir algı oluşturmasına neden olmaktadır. Bu etiket, başka bir yazının konusu olup, Okuyucuya, Horney'in bu kitapta Freud'yen kuramın eleştiri üzerine kurduğu yapıyı dikkat etmesi ve kitabı okurken, oluşturulan bu yetersiz ve tek boyutlu Horney algısından etkilenmemesi tavsiye etmekteyim.

Horney, Çağımızın Nevtorik Kişiliği'nde, kendi kuramını sunarken, yer yer Freudyen yargılara değinen Horney, bu kitapta tersi bir yol izleyerek Freud'yen yargıları temel içerik olarak ele almış ve bu yargıları eleştirirken, Çağımızın Nevrotik Kişiliği'nde ele aldığı eleştirileri ve karşı çıkışları, geliştirerek, yenilerini ekleyerek ve kendi kuramı ile destekleyerek bütün olarak sunmuştur. Kitabın yayınlandığı zaman, Horney, Psikanaliz çevresi tarafından yoğun eleştirlere ve reddedilişlere maruz kalmış, Klasik Psikaanlitik çevre tarafından, Horney'e Çağımızın Nevrotik Kişiliği kitabı sonrası oluşmaya başlayan olumsuz tutum artmış ve Horney, Klasik Psikanaliz Çevresinden aforoz edilmiştir.

Kitabın içeriği, Freudyen kavramların genel eleştirisi olup, Herkes tarafından bilinen Kadın Psikolojisi ve Kültür konuları dışında, Narsizm ve Mazoşizm sorunu, Ölüm içgüdüsü, Kaygı, Ego gibi bir çok önemli kavrama önemli itirazlar bulundurmaktadır. Horney, kendisine yakıştırılan, yukarıda değinilen etiketin tersine, Freud'yen eleştirilerini, tamamen yıkıcı bir zeminde, muhalif olmanın katı ve kapalı mekaniğinde, total bir ret motivasyonu ile yapmayıp, Freud'un fikirlerine gereken saygıyı göstererek, Freud'un fikirlerini kendi deneyimleri ve gözlemleri ile yapıcı bir eleştiriye tabi tutmakta, Freud'un fikirlerinin kendince yanlışını ve bu yanlıştan doğan işlevizliğe gönderme yapmakta, bu fikirlerin yerine kendi kuramından doğan yeni fikirler koymaktadır. Kitabın bir diğer önemli özelliği, özellikle Ego, Narsizm ve Mazoşizm üzerinden, kişiliğin bütüncül doğasına giden yeni bir yol sunma çabasına girişmesi, Birey'in ve onun şimdiki doğasını güçlendirmeyi önermesidir. Psikoteropatik sürece ilişkin yeni yollar önermiş, Nevrotik eğilimlerin doğası ile bugünün ilişkisi üzerine kayda değer fikirler sunmuştur.

Bu kitap, Freudyen Psikoloji düşmanlığı içermekten çok daha fazlasını vaadetmekte, ve İnsan davranışların karmaşıklığına inanan kişiler için bir çok farklı düşünecek ve değerlendirilecek konu sunmaktadır.
2 reviews
July 1, 2017
Explains why we still need more than solution focused brief therapy

Describes complex ideas with clarity and depth. Horney respects the intelligence of the reader. Her descriptions of patients are incredibly valuable. A must read for any therapist.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews

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